Machining

[steamingspud]

Hey guys,

I know I should have gone to a different forum with this, but it's not easy for me to subscribe to other forums, so anyways. I've loved trains all my life, which is a very broad statment if you know me. It's been an obsesion as a young child and as I grew, or grow, older, I've relized my passion for the steam engine has really been my motive for my future career dreams. Before I ever knew about lathes and milling machines and basically the whole machine shop, which was only a few years ago, I wanted to be an engineer.

My only real way of doing this effectivly was to look into a military career, because I've seen modern railroad men, sixty years old and still years away from retiring. It scared me to think hating my dream job if I got too much of it, and the military would ensure me a pention by 38, and colage, and heavy wages as an officer, and all the flashy benefits. It was a great idea, and it didn't die very quickly. After a while, I saw it as just another idea.

And of coarse, I came up with a new career idea again, not driving the trains, but going to colage as a machinist and building them. I'd get a head start and build the live steam engine now with whatever effort I could put into equipment, and knowing the basics, go into the military with as high a degree as I can get as a machinist. I know I can do the work, I've done blacksmithing, woodshop, welding, etc.

Well, heres the thing, I'm still only 15, but my hearts realy set on the two earas. I'm not sure which to go with, the driver or the builder of the train. I know there's machinists on the forum, but how about from a military career? I know it's not likly a military locomotive engineer would use this forum seemings they're rare altogether, but anyone with a similar experience?

I've got a long way ahead of me, but if I let my dreams settle, it's just as well to let them go. Any opinions, my eyes are open.
thanks
Steamingspud

[alames]

My dad was a fireman on the 4004 Big Boy, a test engineer on Apollo, an engineer keeping a bomb dismantlement factory going, a machinist working on bakery and meat packing plant equipment. His best wages were as an engineer, and the best understanding of how the world works was gained there. He's shown me, in museums, everything there is to how to run the locomotives and test rocket engines. His eyes light up when he sees a steam train, and when he sees the big rocket engines. The museum people follow him around, to learn what they can from him, and just to see his excitement about these big machines.

Today, before he gets too old, I'm trying to build a live steam locomotive to play with. I've built model rockets, but they'll never compare to the roar of a real Saturn V.

When you prepare to follow your dreams, get the best education and preparation you can, because your life can take you more places if you're more prepared. I'm an engineer, and I can learn to be a machinist and learn to drive a train on my own time. I can afford to do more for my family than if I drove trains, and I get to be home with my family most of the time.

Just my opinion, of course.
Arlo Ames

[GoldenSpike53]

Hey, Steamingspud, some good questions. I can tell you that you and I are similar...but at opposite ends of the cycle.

I developed a love for steam engines when I was very young, but had no idea the hobby of live steam existed. I was very excited one day when my dad took a quart paint can, the top of a grape juice can, a green bean can, and a shaft and fittings from my erector set and built a stove-top live-steam turbine. It didn't drive anything, but it was fun to watch it go round and round!

He also had a set of operators manuals for both diesel and steam engines that he picked up somewhere, and a sheet of plans for a Pacific steam locomotive.

When we visited Disneyland around my 17th year, I saw some of Walt Disney's live steam miniatures. I assume they were about 7½" gauge, but I could be wrong. I spoke to a man about building a live steam engine, and he actually got me quite enthused about it.

Well, then came college and a career. I went through ROTC in college and got a commission in the US Army. I spent eight years in the army, and one of the things I bought while in Europe was a copy of Little Engines' catalog at the time. But my situation was too tenuous to start anything over there, plus I had a young family, all the usual excuses.

After I got out of the service, I had to build a new career and that took a while as well. Now I'm over 50, and I've been working on my Allen Models Consolidation for about three years (and it's coming along slowly.....).

I don't want to discourage you from a military career if that's really what you want to do...but if you're doing it because you can "retire at 38" I would think again. Without an equal measure of patriotism and belief in what you are doing, you might not make it that long. (I hadn't really planned on staying in until retirement.) And there will be other things to consider that deal with the nature of a military career.

I think many people will tell you to do what you love. If you are really interested in engineering, that would not only be a good field to go into, but would very likely lead to the education and skills that will help you achieve what you want, both professionally and for the hobby. I have had other competing interests, so I'm just getting around to this one now.

Whatever you decide, let it be for the right reasons. And as far as the hobby is concerned, keep it in perspective as a hobby. If you can find a way to make a living with these things, that's great, but make sure you have a way to make a living before you pay too much attention to the hobby.

I'm sure others will have words of advice, too. You don't have to take mine as the ultimate of what's right for you, but there are many of us who have been down this road. Please listen to the experience around you, and give it careful consideration for the weight it deserves in your decisions. Your life will not be like mine, but that doesn't mean you can't learn from me or others like me.

Good luck to you!

Dale